Every game Chris Mepham will miss for West Brom as injury timeframe revealed
Chris Mepham’s injury is a huge blow for West Brom.
Mepham joined West Brom from Bournemouth in the summer transfer window, and fans were incredibly excited by what he could bring to The Hawthorns.
The Wales international has a lot of experience in the Championship, and would have been a key player for Eric Ramsay in the relegation battle.
Mepham scored a last-gasp equaliser against Derby on 23 January, which helped atone for his poor run of form under Ryan Mason.
However, after trudging off the pitch in the 82nd minute against Stoke City on Saturday, Ramsay will have to carry on without the centre-back for the foreseeable future.
Chris Mepham out for a month with a hamstring injury
Mepham is a seasoned international with Wales, and there aren’t many players in the squad who can possess his impressive range of passing.
Despite being below par in several games this season, the 28-year-old’s injury leaves the Baggies weak in defence, and it’s a situation that makes Ramsay’s job a lot harder.
After the Baggies drew 0-0 with Birmingham City on Tuesday, Ramsay confirmed that Mepham would spend four to five weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
| Fixture | Date |
| Norwich City – FA Cup (a) | 14 February |
| Coventry (h) | 21 February |
| Charlton (h) | 24 February |
| Oxford United (a) | 28 February |
| Sheffield United (a) | 7 March |
He may make it back in time for West Brom‘s clash with Southampton at The Hawthorns on 11 March, or against Hull City just three days later.
However, if it takes him slightly longer to return to full fitness, then the game away to Bristol City on 21 March could be a good benchmark for him.
With Krystian Bielik also facing issues, Ramsay has had to turn to alternative options in defence.
Charlie Taylor was outstanding at centre-back against Birmingham, although whether he can keep up that level of performance over an extended period remains to be seen.
Is Charlie Taylor a capable replacement for Mepham?
The 32-year-old has predominantly played as a left-back for the majority of his career, but stepped up in the stalemate at St. Andrews.
He cleared Ibrahim Osman’s shot off the line before committing a brilliant tactical foul on Demarai Gray in the last minute.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans were furious with him for a disgraceful performance during the 5-0 loss to Norwich on 20 January.
Ramsay won’t be getting too carried away with Taylor, who is definitely prone to making amateur mistakes, but he has the perfect chance to deliver the goods consistently now.